Daddy's Baby fights it
by rockersXdream
Summary: Bella is a 19 year old girl who feels, and wants to be treated, like a little girl.
1. Chapter 1

**Daddy's baby fights it**

**(Usual disclaimer: This is the story of two adults. Bella is a 19 year old girl who feels, and wants to be treated, like a little girl.)**

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**She surveyed the lights in the house as she unlatched the gate, working out whether he was home and if so, what he was up to. From the warm light glowing from the lounge and kitchen, it looked like dinner was done and he was soaking up some TV time.**

**The heavy dew of another cold winter's eve clung to her stockinged feet, making the trek from the gate to the front door seem like a final hurdle that, every evening after long hours at work, she just wasn't sure she would be able to jump.**

**Fossicking around for her key in the half-light coming from the kitchen, she squeezed her legs together, doing a little dance, the urgency of the need for a bathroom suddenly more pressing now that her body new she was close to relief. Her hands digging more frantically in her bag, the door clicked open, his right hand pulling it back, his left hand stretched above his head resting his leaning and very imposing figure against the wall of the entryway.**

**One side of his mouth gave way to his characteristic crooked smirk that just melted her. His green eyes softened, and he took a breath as if to say something, before stopping short, closing his lips again and releasing a long, equine sigh from his nostrils. He simply stepped forward, one click of his boot on the tiles, snaked his right hand around her waist, giving it a little tickle with his fingertips, and pulled her firmly against him. Never taking his eyes from her, he tucked her hair behind her ear with his left hand, cupped the nape of her neck, and leant down, his nose nuzzling at her neck and jawline, lingering there…**

'**Hi, sweetheart…'**

**She blushed, rocking from her heels to her tiptoes a couple of times before ignoring her fluttering heart and mustering up the courage to plant her lips on his.**

**He chuckled at her nerves. Still? After nearly a year? God, she was just too endearing sometimes.**

**With thumb and forefinger caressing her ivory chin, he leant back down, lips lingering over hers, and kissed her lower lip with his. He kissed her upper lip. They both opened their mouths and drew each other in for a few seconds before she pulled away, jumping up and down a little bit….'Nicetoseeyoutoo but I have to….' Her voice faded away, her modesty getting the better of her, and she pulled away from the hand around her waist, planning on her pathway to the bathroom filling in the blanks.**

**He held tight, pulling her in to the house, still pressed against him. 'Ah ah ahhhhhhh hang on a second little miss. Have to what?' He drew his left hand around the other side of her waist, clasping both hands together at the small of her back, and looked down at her, smiling, and rocking them both from side to side. 'Hmmm?' He tipped his head on the side quizzically. 'Tell Daddy'.**

**She sighed, wriggling her legs desperately like a runner before a race, and playing with her hands, looking down, struggling so much with this and feeling littler and littler by the second.**

'**Daddy please'….**

**He looked down, seeing the pained expression on her face, and the hot blush kissing her cheeks. He knew how hard this was for her, and knew it was probably the end of a long day. She was close to tears and he knew it.**

**He unwrapped her from his arms and nodded his consent, running a hand through his hair in frustration as he watched her scurry off. Her suit skirt hugged that little round bottom so perfectly, and he shook his head, laughing to himself, trying to shirk the immediate effect it had on him as that little bottom jiggled away from him. He sighed, and made his way to the couch, where he had already put a pile of clothes for her to change into, and waited.**

**A minute later she returned, yabbering away in her usual manner about her day and nightmare clients, fetching a glass from the cupboard and not really waiting for any responses from him. He shook his head, and walked over to her, still browsing her shelves for a bottle to open, and scooped her up, cradling her in his arms like a baby. She squeaked. 'Edward, what are you doing?' He stood, his huge figure in the middle of the kitchen, and just looked down at her, responding: ' Ahem. Edward?' She giggled. 'Yes, Edward. Iiiiiiiiiii am trying to get a damn drink, it's adult time'. She squirmed a little for him to put her down. 'Ssshhhh. Daddy says it's time for a little talk'. She looked up at him, her brow a little furrowed, feeling her blush heat up again.**

'**It's OK sweetie, you're not in trouble. We just need to have a little chat my love'. With that he walked back to the couch with her in his arms. She closed her eyes momentarily, the little coming crashing down on her so overwhelmingly. He sat, keeping her cradled, the right hand under her legs now cupping her bottom and patting it softly but firmly enough to be comforting, just how she liked. 'Therrrrrrre's my baby', he cooed. 'That's better, isn't it? Hmm?'**

**He knew it wouldn't be long now.**

**She nodded slowly, feeling her eyes burning, and fighting it.**

'**Daddy's got you now, hasn't he, baby girl?' His left hand rested on her tummy, knowing that was yet another little trigger for her. Her tummy was the part of her body she was most self-conscious about. It also featured regularly in her fantasies about Daddy's ministrations. She jerked ever so slightly, her hand covering his to stop it, and he shushed her, whispering 'No sweetie. It's such a cute little tum-tum. Come on now, hands away, you know Daddy's rules.' And with that he moved her hand away, repeating 'Such a baby tummy', unbuttoning her blouse, untucking it, cooing the whole time, before resting his hand on her warm belly and gently rubbing circles.**

'**Daddy don't.'**

'**Yes baby girl, Daddy thinks this little tummy needs a rub and this little bummy needs pats, so that's what they'll get'. He smiled softly at her, seeing her eyes welling up, knowing it wasn't far now.**

'**Daddyyyy DON'TTTTTTT' she said this time with a lot of force. She curled up and rubbed angrily at her eyes, pushing at his chest to get down from his lap.**

**He softly held her, uncurling her little body, and whispered 'No, baby girl.'**

'**DaddYYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyyy Iiiiiiiii saiiiiiid NOOOOOOO I don't WANT to be little.' This time she pushed with force, huffing and puffing, hot angry tears stinging her eyes, and she pushed herself off his lap, folding her opened blouse across her exposed torso and folding her arms, running off, not really certain of where to, but finding herself going to her room, curling up on the bed and sniffling frustrated, angry tears.**

**He followed her in, the slow boot clicks of a long-legged gait. He watched his little angry ball on the bed for a moment, his heart breaking at the struggle she put herself through, and went and sat on the bed.**

'**Go awayyyyyyyyyyyy' came a muffled, whiny voice.**

'**Come to Daddy' came his gentle, almost sympathetic response, urging her to resign to it.**

'**NO'. Huffing and blinking hot tears, she moved down towards the end of the bed to find somewhere else to go.**

**This time, he closed his eyes momentarily and clenched his jaw before standing up, leaning down and once again scooping her up underneath her arms, putting her head over his shoulder and holding her torso and bottom with his arms. 'Yes little baby. Daddy's got you, you're not going anywhere, you can struggle all you like'.**

**She kicked.**

**He stroked her legs, and rocked her.**

**She batted her little fists against his shoulders.**

**He held her hands together, kissed them, and shushed her.**

**She whined and whined, more and more urgently, bucking her little body with all the fight she had in her to try and get down. He held her to him, whispering in her ear 'Daddy's got you baby, you fight it til you can't fight it any more'. Her 19 year old body was as weak to him as a kitten. He felt her start to tire, and he kept whispering in her hot little angry ear 'Daddy's baby, aren't you? Hmmm? Just a little baby girl who doesn't know what to do.'**

**Silence. That calm before the storm. He felt her body fill with a deep, long sigh, and he held her tighter.**

**She let out a gut-wrenching sob.**

**He closed his eyes, drawing her even closer to him if it was possible, one hand cupping the back of her head, the other her little bottom cheeks, feeling her pain with her.**

**A series of little-girl sobs followed, heralding the tears to come, and Daddy bounced her up and down as wave after wave of losing control and feeling so so little, so so loved, so so vulnerable, so so precious and so so embarrassed, hit her.**

'**Therrrrre she is. There's my precious baby. You tell Daddy. Tell Daddy all about it.**

**And she cried. She told Daddy all about it, and he paced the room, bouncing her gently, speaking sweet nothings into her ear.**

'**I know baby, Daddy knows. It's not fair, is it? You're just a little babyyyy. Yes you arrrrrre. Iiiiii know, sweetie, you cry. Thaaaaaat's my baby'.**

**He tired a little, but didn't stop, knowing she too was tiring herself out. He hadn't even spoken to her about what he wanted to raise earlier. It was going to be a long evening.**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

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**Edward's back-and-forth pacing eventually led him to the window of their room, where he gazed out at the sparkly sky for a moment, his right hand still supporting Bella's head, his fingers playing in her hair, stroking absent-mindedly while his earlier words of comfort turned into 'sssshhhh's and whisperings of half-phrases like he was tuning in and out of real life: '….aren't you, hmmm?'…..'…that's it….Daddy's Darling'.**

**And in little whimpers and nods and blinks, she responded. Every now and then, some fresh tears would spring to her eyes, and she'd take a shaky, tell-tale breath in. He'd react like he really did have a child in his arms, perhaps a child who had been awake all night and was just finding peace - suddenly springing into more bobbing and shushing and coo-ing action, desperate to go to lengths to stop another bout of that heartbreaking sobbing from entering the room. 'Nooooo, nooooo….little sweetheart, there are no more tears my baby, no more, Daddy's got you…..' and he turned to face away from the window so that she could see out. 'Look at the pretty night sky my angel. Tell Daddy what you can see, hmm? Can you see anyyyyy…..pinkbabyelephants?'**

**In the exhausted daze of a little one who has cried every drop of energy from her body, her big watery eyes looked out the window, and he felt her little head shake a very slight, and very dejected, 'no'. He knew, though, that it was the 'no' of a little girl who wanted to say 'yes', and so he felt encouraged nonetheless. He felt a little nudge against his chest as she adjusted her arm, and he knew straight away there was a thumb headed for a little set of lips. He fished in his pocket, retrieved her baby-pink pacifier, and leaned back over his shoulder, his chin pressed awkwardly to his chest so he could see her.**

**He smiled. 'Open for Daddy'.**

**She parted her lips, and blinked a slow, sad blink.**

**Edward gently pressed the paci to her lips and she closed them around it, the part sticking out of her mouth starting to move up and down straight away with her sucklings.**

**He chuckled a silent nostril-exhalation-style chuckle at how precious she was, and his heart swelled, his first couple of words giving away the slight laughter in his voice as he drew his hand back to support her head and cuddled her in close to him, kissing her head and speaking warmth into her ear 'Thaaat's a good girl. My goodness me you are such an angel. Now...' he said, rocking softly, bouncing a little every now and then, 'where were we? Ohhhhhhhh yep yep yep pink errrrnephants. I could have sworn I ordered some with the extra floppy ears tonight….are you suuuuuure you can't see them? The sky's extra sparkly tonight, just like they like and everything…'**

**She gave an excited little kick of both her legs, them rubbing against his sides, and nodded and nodded, a little giggle escaping her mouth.**

**He sighed contentedly, smiling, knowing she was finally calm. 'And can you see the baby ducklings running all around their feet? Who do those baby ducklings think they are, hmm? Silly things, they'll get squashed if they're not careful! Oh but they are cute, aren't they? I think their Mummies would probably give them a little smack on the bottom if they saw them, though, don't you?'**

**She went crimson. She half nodded, and then reneged, half shaking her head before flopping it onto his shoulder and nuzzling her cheek against him,. It was just….so…..easy. He chuckled, out loud this time.**

'**My Daaaarl-iiiiiiiing' he said in a sing-songy, half amused, half frustrated voice.**

**She giggled and blushed harder, just wanting to crawl inside out with shyness.**

**THISSSSSSSSS he readjusted her so he had her under her arms again, before swinging her down and plonking her on the bed**

**Edward knelt on the ground beside the bed so he was at her eye level.**

'**This' he said in his deep, buttery melty voice, his hands cupping her hips, his nose touching hers…'is what Daddy needs to talk about with you, baby girl'. He smiled, and there they remained nose to nose for a moment, while his words sunk in.**

**She deflected her eyes and looked down, taking her paci out with one hand, her lips lingering in their slightly opened position. 'I….'**

'**You're painfully shy.' He tickled each thumb on her hip bones, his other four fingers holding her around the back.**

**She curled up a little, giggling slightly, and nodded.**

**He sighed, his thumbs drawing circles on her hip bones while he thought carefully about his next words, looking straight into her big brown eyes. Edward assessed her downcast jungle of eyelashes, watching their intermittent flutters as she blinked. He allowed the silence to spill for longer, hoping it might do its job and get her to…**

**She looked up at him. Ahh, there it was. His face softened, and teasingly he said**

'**Oh hiiii there. Nice of you to join us again, kitten.'**

**Kitten. Those petnames just did her in! She had nothing to say, just looking down again for a moment to regain her composure, before again turning her gaze to him.**

'**Youuuu', he said, emphasising the word with a nod of his head closer to hers….**

**He groaned, getting up from his kneeling position, his long limbs unfurling as he drew himself up to full height. She looked up at the tower in front of her.**

'**YOU', he chuckled, standing so his legs brushed against her knees and his torso against her forehead, combing his fingers through her hair before resting them to cradle her head and draw it back slightly so she could look up at him..**

'**You….have to start learning to trust me enough to be yourself around me, babygirl. I know what you want and need, but it's taken me nearly 12 months of hit and miss, my darling. All guesswork. You're a babygirl. You're my babygirl. We've worked out the hardest part. I adore who and what I've worked you out to be. It's time for you to start showing me, start revealing those precious inner workings…'**

**He drew one hand down to the left hand side of her sternum, just above the swell of her left breast, and traced little circles round and round.**

'**What's going on in here, you know?'**

**Goosebumps. Nods. An attempt at pulling her blouse further across her chest.**

**He laughed, putting his hand on hers.**

'**No, baby. See? Right there. You've just given Daddy the perfect starting point.'**

**Bella looked up at him, fear and pleading in her eyes. She was excruciatingly shy of her body.**

'**Yes, baby. Yes. I know….I know this is so hard for you. He held her hand, which was still clinging at her blouse, and thought to himself silently 'and you have no idea how hard it has been for me'.**

**Edward and Bella had been living together for the past 4 months. Their friends assumed it was the next step in a naturally-evolving relationship. It wasn't….**

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	3. Chapter 3

**chapter 3**

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**Winter last year. A crowded, warm bar with jazz and a fire. tousled, hair, minimal make up. Long leather boots and a glass of red. copper hair with a wave that had been threatened to behave with more products than he cared to admit, stubble and a leather jacket. A tumbler of whiskey on ice. A silent toast to each other as lips embraced glasses. She had smirked at him with smoky eyes and an aloof twist of her heel before returning to her party. And there it was. Bella's public game-face. The confident, sultry woman with a quick wit and a sharp tongue, dismissing most men in a heartbeat and responding only to those who showed just as much, if not more confidence and wit, and saw straight through her bravado.**

**An hour later. Edward had caught her glancing at him under the shelter of her hand making unnecessary hair adjustments, at least three times. And he ought to have known. He hadn't taken his eyes from her. He could have sworn he detected a look of obstinacy on her face as she turned away, silently prohibiting herself from ever looking again. He inhaled sharply, gave an audible 'Oooh' like the glory of that little round bottom so perfectly hugged by her jeans was causing him physical pain. He brought the the whiskey glass to his lips, shaking his head slightly and mumbling quiet 'thank you's to this woman for the gift she had just given him.**

**Something fired his instincts off. Was it the excessive bravado? Was it the way she seemed to stand, almost as if she was pushing her bottom out, like those Kewpie dolls from the olden days with prominent, pushed-out bottoms and bellies? As seductive and sultry as her eyes were when they exchanged glances earlier, there was something about that look that was like no other he had ever encountered. It was….innocent. Yes, that was exactly it. Innocent. He frowned slightly, wondering how on earth she had managed that one. An innocent seductress? She was clearly no novice at engaging men's attention. Yet Edward was sure that's what it was that had captured him so.**

**He was captivated. Whether the whiskey gave him the courage or whether he would have done the same unassisted by his Irish rogue of a companion, he retrieved a business card from his wallet, strode up behind her, and, slipping the card deep into the back right hand pocket of her jeans, leaned down and said into her right ear 'You're doing a very good job of being all grown up tonight, aren't you?'.**

**Edward walked out of the bar, turning to give her a very smug but very charismatic smile before slipping his hands into his jacket pockets and trotting down the steps and into the night.**

**Her jaw hung open. She was outraged. That was unwelcome physical contact. Assault, that's what that was! And who the hell does he think he is? He doesn't even KNOW her. What an idiot. Pompous bastard. Just the sort of reason she rarely went out. She rolled her eyes at her companions, shrugging it off when they gathered around her, chirping and asking what he said, and she tried to tune back into the conversation.**

**Her heart did summersaults. Her right hand went to her right bottom cheek which still tingled from his touch. She drew it away again, taking a long sip of wine, looking around to see if anyone had witnessed that. Was this happening? A good job of being grown up? What, does she know him? Does she know him from somewhere? Has he …..what? WHAAT? He's bluffing. Just a player out for a reaction. Suddenly, the seam of her jeans felt like it was being more cheeky than usual, like it had ridden up, and she drew in a deep breath as she felt herself get that hot, swollen, achy feeling. 'A good job of being grown up' . She remembered the way he'd said it. So sweetly, but with excessive emphasis and expression, like he was reading a story book. He'd said it like a ….like a Daddy singing praises to a little girl.**

**She leaned back , trying to see past the heads and shoulders around her to get a clear line of vision to the door and the street beyond it. There was no sign of him. 'Good' she thought. She was so stubborn she was even lying to herself, as she reached back to her pocket again and felt the card there. Bella slipped it out, making vague contributions to the conversation, laughing in all the places everyone else seemed to be, and brought the card around to her thigh-level, quickly glancing down at it.**

**Edward Cullen**

**Cardiac Surgeon**

**There was a mobile number and a surgery number.**

**Oh WHAT….EVER. Seriously. It explained the ego. 'Bella Cullen' had a nice ring to it though. Nice ring. Hmmmm that too, he could afford.**

**She got angry. 'WHAT did I just think? What what what what WHAAAAT?' Unbelievable. She's a lawyer. She's a woman. She is an adult woman with a brain who does NOT need egotistical surgeons telling her some rubbish about something they think they know after just LOOKING at her. She threw the card on the ground and made sure the heel of her boot made its satisfying mark on it. Anyone watching her would have seen the pout and the little stubborn smile of satisfaction she had after crunching it under her heel. She shook her hair back over her shoulder, regained her composure, and smiled as she rejoined the conversation.**

**That night, Bella repeated that one scene in her head over and over again. She couldn't wait to go to bed to curl up with the little movie short in her mind, and re-live it until she fell asleep. She had been so deprived of feeling little for so long, that that one line, that one simple action, that one smile, was enough to sustain her. She blinked a few tears, admonishing herself for discarding the business card, and wanting a Daddy more than ever…..**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

**Usual disclaimer: it's a story about adults.**

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**Bella survived the week at work. Some mornings she wanted to stay home and play the 'little' games she'd play with herself. Like putting herself on her tummy on the bed, pretending it was a command from Daddy, imagining him taking her jammies down and rubbing her bottom. Like putting herself over the back of the couch, legs dangling, giving her that delicious feeling of blood rushing to all the right places, hearing her imaginary Daddy tell her what a naughty little girl she was and how Daddy had to put her over his knee and smack her little bottom. Sometimes, she'd imagine being sent to bed mid-afternoon for a nap with Daddy's poky cold thermometer sticking out of her bottom and being wriggled back and forth til Daddy said it could come out. She'd even imagine him being able to see the little treasure between her legs and get that puffy, achy feeling down there again. Edward Cullen, Cardiac surgeon, started featuring in the evening bedtime stories she'd run through her head every evening. She longed for someone to come into her life and understand it, and understand everything, and tell her it was all going to be OK. She had been waiting for Daddy for over 2 years. It was destroying her and exhausting her. Yet somehow she'd go to work and be so grown up and so responsible and sociable and charming every day. Not that it didn't take its toll.**

**Bella woke up the following Saturday and felt herself sinking. She knew she was fast entering little headspace. When she sank too far, she wasn't functional. She usually hid in her room, sucked her thumb, clung to her bunny and waited for it to pass. Those days, the world was just too much. Other times, she felt little and wanted to live it. She got sick of suppressing it, and felt rebellious . Bella never did anything outrageous or too attention-seeking, but every now and then she'd do things that could be seen as little behaviour, or could just be seen by the untrained eye as an adult wearing particularly fun clothes or being particularly playful. Things like wearing her teensy pink shorts and rocking-horse pendant with 2 loosely-tied pigtails and a soft, rose-petal smelling scent on her neck. That Saturday was one of those days. She dressed accordingly, and walked (always with a little extra wiggle in her bottom) to her local shops. A couple of cars beeped on her way, and she smiled a little to herself. She enjoyed it, and got a little more confident and a little more brazen, drawing herself up to her full height, puffing her chest out and strutting a bit more concertedly the rest of her way. She felt cute and it was nice.**

**She strolled past the bar she was at last Friday week. Didn't look so magical during the day. In fact it was closed, bare-looking and altogether uninviting. She smiled to herself at the effect a cold evening, some dim lighting and some full-bodied wine can make. Pushing her aviators down to the tip of her nose, she peeked in the window of the bar to have a closer look, her hands cupping either side of her temples to block the glare of the mid-morning sun. A couple of blinks to adjust to the scene before her and she gasped, quickly recoiling and trotting away from the bar in a hurried walk/jog that she hoped didn't draw too much attention to herself. There in the bar, leaning back on one of the tables, chuckling away with whom she gathered must have been the owner of the place and obviously a close friend, and sipping on an espresso, was Edward.**

**He of course saw her peeking figure appear at the window straight away, and rattled the front door in his flurry as he swiftly exited the bar to follow her. He was 6'4". Her trotting pace was at most a semi-hurried walk for him, and he was soon at her side. In his red chequed flannelette shirt, perfectly-fitted jeans and shiny brown boots, he looked even more handsome than she'd remembered.**

**Bella was mortified. She, meanwhile, had gone from sophisticated bar seductress to very shy, very embarrassed – very, mortified – little girl. And there wasn't much scope for indignance this time. The outfit kind of gave it away. She ignored him at first, her face so hot she was almost reduced to tears. He had caught up with her, so far saying nothing except clearing his throat with an 'Ahem', a sideways glance, and what was obviously a very amused smile on his face.**

**She glanced back at him sideways and, panicked, gave a token look for traffic before deciding to change direction quickly and get away from this horrifying situation. She trotted towards the edge of the footpath in a complete daze, desperate to escape this whole thing. Just as she was stepping off the footpath she heard him shout "NO!" in a loud, aggressive voice she didn't know someone so gentlemanly was capable of. As she turned her head her feet were swept off the ground, and the loud, droning beep of a semi-trailer filled her ears. She found herself looking down at the concrete – Edward had swept her up around her waist and carried her back, tucked under his arm, away from the road. Too shocked to fight him or react adversely, she held onto the arm that had her around her waist until he put her back on her feet. It was the biggest forearm she thought she'd ever seen. Or felt.**

**Out of breath and with his hands on his hips, he stood there, shaking his head, gearing up to say something once he'd taken a sufficient lungful of air.**

'**What was that all about? You nearly got yourself run over. You were that desperate not to talk to me? Am I really that….'**

**He stopped.**

'**Never mind. I've obviously disturbed you. Are you alright? Once I know you're alright I'll let you be'.**

'**I'm fine' she squeaked.**

'**Great.' he retorted.**

**He started to stride away, before stopping abruptly and turning on his heel, as he fished something out of his wallet.**

**Re-approaching a very contrite and very self-conscious little girl, her arms hugging herself, strands of hair loose around her face, fondling her rocking-horse pendant nervously, he handed her the crumbled, boot-marked business card she'd discarded in the bar that evening.**

'**THIS', he started, before turning her to face away from him,**

'**MUST have dropped' ,which he said, punctuating his last word with a quick shove of the card into the tiny back pocket of her shorts.**

**She could have sworn she felt him take his hand a couple of metres back from her bottom, still holding her facing away from him, and in that moment of silence her heart stopped, she swore it did. If he was considering a spank, he stopped himself, and walked away without further word.**

**Bella watched him for a second. He was walking with such brisk purpose, obviously angered by the whole situation. Her heart sank. She pushed her sunglasses back up to cover her eyes as she felt herself crumbling. A garden bed separating the footpath from a block of offices sat a few metres away. She scurried over to it, sat down on its concrete edge, drew her heels up to meet her bottom and hugged her knees to herself, just in time for her tears to start flowing. She was little, she looked little, she felt little, and she no longer felt cute or nice. She felt very lost and very vulnerable, and very very much like she wasn't quite sure she'd have the adult in her to get herself out of that garden bed any time soon. And so she cried. She cried like a little girl who had lost her Mummy in the supermarket. Nothing sensible occurred to her. It was like she didn't have a phone, or a wallet, or a house only 15 minutes' walk from there. She didn't just feel like a little girl, she had crossed that line and now was one.**

**Edward had stopped 20 metres down the road. He leant against a wall and watched her, for several reasons. One, he was upset and needed to calm down before heading back to Japer, his best friend and the owner of the bar, if he wanted to avoid the barrage of questions he knew Jasper would otherwise be throwing at him. Two, he was not used to women not at least chasing him a little bit, and half expected to find her trying to catch up with him. Three, once he had recovered from her jumping out in front of traffic, he was completely captivated by the sight of her in those little shorts, with a little tight T-shirt, those pigtails and…was it a rocking horse? He knew he was right that evening and now it was all confirmed. He leaned away from the wall and watched her. As soon as he saw the little figurine, curled up in that garden bed, his anger dissipated. He forgot about his hurt pride. His heart melted and he wanted – no, he needed to help.**

**Shaking his head slowly at the effect this little imp had over him, and at how spot-on his instincts had been that evening, Edward walked back to her. Bella saw him at a few metres out, and couldn't do anything but turn away from him in shame. He leant down, one arm leaning on the concrete behind the small of her back, the other ready to scoop between her heels and bottom, and said:**

'**I'm going to pick you up now. I'm not asking you. I'll only stop if you say no.'**

**His other hand going under her legs and supporting her under her thighs, he scooped**

**her into his arms, his voice a little strained as he took her weight and said 'C'mon honey, C'mere'.**

**Bella hid her face in her hands. She was too shocked to cry. It was all too abstract. She let him, of course. He was warm. He smelled like old oak trees soaked in musk and frankincense, although she didn't know what that smelt like, she was sure it was that. In her daze, she watched the world pass her by, hearing only the long, slow clicks of his boots. She started shivering, and then shaking, despite the sun being out in full force, and the cold evening weather not showing any hints of arriving for hours.**

**Backing into the bar door with Bella still in his arms, Edward pushed it open and let it close behind him. Jasper raised his eyebrows from behind the bar, cleaning some glasses with a teatowel, and was about to say something about Edward just ringing them in from every which way when he saw Edward shake his head 'no', look seriously at Jasper and nod his head to the right, indicating to Jasper that taking the exit right now might be a great idea. Jasper nodded and gave a silent "Ahhh", making his way out of the bar and dangling the keys in the air to get Edward's attention and show him he was leaving them next to the till, before slipping out.**

**Edward guided one of Bella's hands to around his shoulders. 'Put your hands around me up here, sweetie, just for a second'.**

**She held Edward around his shoulders. If she wasn't feeling so rotten she might have paid more attention to the works of art they were. My God, they were enormous. She wasn't even sure he could feel her tiny touch.**

**One hand still supporting her under her bottom and legs, Edward reached into the cloakroom for his leather jacket and draped it over her before putting his other arm back around her.**

'**What's your name, sweetheart?'**

**Her teeth chattered. 'Bella'.**

'**Bella you're in shock, that's why you're shaking, OK?'**

**She nodded.**

'**Are you OK with me helping you out? I'm a doctor, but honey you don't know me. If you feel uncomfortable I'll call you an ambulance right away. I need you to tell me if you feel scared or uncomfortable, though.'**

**She shook her head.**

'**Are you sure?'**

**She nodded.**

'**Alright, that's a girl.'**

**She soaked it up. That's a girl.**

'**Can you hold onto me again, Bella?'**

**She did. Edward walked around behind the bar and got a big glass of water, dropped a straw into it and made his way to a chair, putting it on the table in front of him. He sat with her in his lap, adjusting the jacket to cover her curled up form, and introduced the glass of water to her lips.**

'**Take a sip, sweetie.'**

**She took the straw in her lips and sipped.**

'**There we go, that's it.'**

**A few sips later, and a few minutes of silence, and Bella started to feel a bit warmer. She was still shaking, though. And suddenly from nowhere, a bout of long, loud tears hit her. And she cried. And cried.**

**Edward hugged her to him. 'Oh honey, it's OK. Shock does this to people. It'll pass soon, it'll pass. Goodness me, you were nearly killed out there. Your body's trying to process it.'**

**Bella cried and shook in response.**

**Edward just nodded, said a quiet 'I know', and rocked her a little, holding the water to her lips every now and then, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.**

**20 minutes passed. Her tears had stopped, and her shaking was minimal. Her little hands were still so cold, and she had goosebumps, but the worst was over.**

**Edward bowed his head down to speak to her gently. 'Do you think you can stand up, Bella?'**

**She nodded, and uncurled herself, handing him the jacket, getting onto her feet and standing up. Edward stood up after her, holding the jacket out for her to put her arms back in. 'Keep it on, Bella, you're still freezing.'**

'**Thankyou' she squeaked.**

**He smiled. What he was about to do, she will never forget. She knew. This was when she knew that things were going to change forever.**

**Edward crouched down. He crouched down so his own backside was touching his heels, like you see big gentlemen and Grandads and Daddies and ….did she say gentlemen? Gentle men, doing with little ones who are overwhelmed by their littleness and their counterpart's grandeur. Never, had Bella ever felt that little. She looked down at him, and could feel her tears welling.**

**He looked up at her, holding her at her thighs.**

'**Sweetie where are we taking you?'**

**She tried to speak without breaking into tears. 'I live just around the…..' She swallowed and breathed. 'I live just…..'….She sighed, trying not to lose the rhythm of her breath. A hiccup followed…..'aroundthecorner'. A couple of tears spilled onto her cheeks.**

**He rubbed her thighs a little, letting her know it was OK. He again fished for his wallet.**

'**Are you OK with me giving you a lift, honey? I can show you my med society card if it helps? Or I can call you a cab?'**

'**I'm OK, thankyou' came her response.**

'**That wasn't my question, sweetie. I'll tell you if you're OK or not. You tell me how you want to get home'.**

**She did a double take, hearing the authority in his voice and blinking a little.**

'**I…I'mcomfortablewithalift'.**

**He nodded, ushered her out of the bar, and into the back carpark….**

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**Please review.x**


	5. Chapter 5

**part 5.**

**Usual disclaimer: this is a story about adults.**

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**They walked in silence to the car, Bella lingering a pace behind Edward. She was shy. She also didn't know which car was his.**

'**This is me', he pointed to the shiny silver volvo car. Probably something fancy, but it was lost on Bella. He unlocked the car, and she reached for the passenger door handle at the same time he did. He raised his eyebrows. 'Hands off' he gruffed, in mock sternness.**

**She smiled half-heartedly and let her hand drop. Her lethargy wasn't lost on Edward, and he opened the door, gently encouraging her in with a hand to the small of her back. Edward's energy wasn't lost on Bella, and she felt the warmth and gentleness of his touch almost like it caressed her from tip to toe.**

**When he got into the driver's seat, she had closed her eyes, her head rested against the back of the seat. He reached across, took the seatbelt and brought it over her chest and lap, clicking it in. Bella frowned, thinking she had to at least show herself to be feigning protest. But she adored it. She slipped her feet out of her trainers and curled her socked feet up underneath her on the seat. When she saw Edward glance across at her as he backed out of the parking space, she immediately uncurled them, mumbling 'Sorry'. Normally he'd care. A lot. He shook his head, reaching over with his hand and stopping her from dropping them back down. 'It's fine, you curl up as much as you need to.' He loved it because it was like she was settling in for a lot longer than a 5 minute drive. She loved it because he'd recognised that she needed to. Relieved of her duty to give directions by his GPS, Bella folded her arms across herself, curled up, and kept her eyes closed, her head swimming. She didn't feel great, but at least she felt safe.**

'**Is this it? Green roof?' he asked gently, pulling Bella out of her semi somnolence.**

**She nodded, and he pulled up, turning off the ignition, the whirring of the engine abating and leaving them in silence. Bella snuck a sideways glance at him and gave him a hint of a nervous smile. Undoing her seatbelt, and shrugging awkwardly out of his jacket, she said 'OK, well thank you for helping out and…'**

**She paused, handing him the jacket.**

'**I'm sorry about the card'.**

**Opening her door and stepping out, she heard the click of his door opening, then the thud of it closing.**

**Before she knew it Edward was at her side of the car, leaning against it with one arm, watching while she climbed out.**

**Her head spun, and she stumbled a little stepping up onto the footpath. Edward immediately stepped behind her, his hands at her waist, steadying her. 'Woahhh there. OK.' Her shorts had slipped down at the back, revealing the top of her pale cotton pink panties with little white bunnies all over them, and he subtly (although not without a little smile) pulled the waist band back up like it was part of what he was doing to steady her. It didn't go unnoticed, and Bella was grateful to him.**

**She stepped away a little from him once she regained her balance, brushing her hair from her face and fishing for her keys in her wallet.**

'**I'm OK now. Thanks again for your help'.**

**Edward chuckled, slipping his hands into his jeans pockets, and cocked his head to one side. 'Dismissed?'**

**She looked up at him. 'You were never engaged'.**

**Bella closed her eyes as soon as she said it. She was prickly. Years of bastards had put her on the constant defensive**

**Edward's jaw had dropped slightly. If this little girl was not his patient, and was not in shock right now, he would have picked her up, taken her upstairs to her bedroom, put her over his knee, spanked that adorable little bottom and sent her straight to bed in tears and on her tummy.**

'**Sorr…' she started**

**Edward interrupted: 'I'll have you know, young lady, that I am duty-bound to keep you under supervision for at least 4 hours after showing signs of shock. If you don't want me here, then it's back into the car with you and given that it's a Saturday, straight to hospital for you. Your GP's not going to be available.'**

**Bella's eyes widened at 'hospital'. She stammered, as if to try and say something, before giving in and reaching for the gate.**

**His hand stopped hers again, clearing his throat slightly like she should have known this routine by now. She looked up at him nervously, let out a soft, quick giggle, and let him open the gate. She stepped in, walked down the path to the steps, and climbed up them. Edward was behind her. His professionalism went AWOL for those 10 steps. The shorts were so short that the little crease of her bottom cheeks visibly appeared and disappeared with every step she took. He took a deep breath and diverted his eyes to the garden until she got to the top.**

**Once they were inside,Edward got all business-like. 'OK Miss Bella, couch or bed, you choose. Jammies on, and onto one of them, and I'll be back'.**

**She blinked. There wasn't much scope for protest. Edward disappeared out the door, and she hesitated, having no idea how long he'd be or what was going on. She shrugged, strode to the kitchen and put the kettle on. A cup of coffee would be perfect. Getting cups out and milk and sugar, she felt her tummy rumble and opened the fridge again. Bending over and fishing around for anything yummy and quick to grab, Edward reappeared.**

'…**.orrr you can do exactly what you like and ignore the dumb doctor' he mumbled.**

**Bella stood back up and saw him standing there with his leather bag, clenching his jaw, fondling his car keys impatiently in the other hand. She closed the fridge.**

'**I don't have any pyjamas' she said, a little indignantly.**

**Edward strode to the living room, put his bag down, and strode back out, making his way down the hall.**

'**What are you doing?' she said, trotting after him.**

'**Getting your jammies' he responded matter-of-factly.**

**Bella quickly scrambled between him and her doorway. 'You can't just go wherever you want, that's my private room'.**

**Edward shrugged. 'You get them, or Dr Edward does'.**

**Bella's eyes narrowed. There was that smug arrogant look again.**

**She felt a wave of panic. What if he wasn't? What if he was some nutcase claiming to be all these things? Puffing her chest out and calming herself, she said with all the bravado she could muster: 'Show me that card right now'.**

**Edward cast his glance to the left, smiling like he was sharing a joke with an imaginary audience, reached to his back pocket and produced his med ID, waiting for her response with raised eyebrows.**

**She pouted, looking down her nose at it, and nodded an arrogant assent.**

**Edward leaned in towards her.**

'**That', he whispered , 'was something you should have checked an hour ago'.**

**Bella glared at him and pushed past him into her room, pretending to look for the jammies she knew she had but did not want him to see. He sat on the bed and watched. 'How abouttttttt….' Edward got up, and crouched down at her feet, 'this one?' he said, pointing to the bottom draw and looking up at her, smiling.**

**Bella didn't know what to do. Of course they were in there. She froze and broke away from his eye contact.**

'**Thought so', he said, opening the drawer.**

**There they were. 3 sets of jammies, 2 of which were footed sleepers, one pink with bunnies, one blue with duckies, both of them with drop-seats. The other was a knee-length flannelette nightie, baby pink, no patterns.**

**Edward smiled to himself but said nothing, and picked the nightie up like it was no big deal, handing it up to her. He pretended to groan more than he needed to as he stood back up, and left the room, knowing further instructions weren't necessary.**

**Bella flopped onto the bed. Her face was flushed, she sighed, almost wanting to cry, but controlling her breathing to avoid it.**

**She undressed, put the nightie on over her head, and tiptoed back out, feeling very shy and very little. Peeking around from the hallway to the lounge, she saw him sitting there on the couch, his stethoscope around his neck, writing a few notes in a diary.**

**Edward saw her and smiled up at her. He crooked his finger and nodded his head back for her to come to him. 'Come on, Bella, I don't bite. A few things to check and then we'll put you to bed, OK?'**

**She frowned a little. 'I'm not tired' she mumbled. Edward chuckled at her little coming out. 'I bet you are, little Miss. In fact I bet you will give me one of the easiest four-hour shifts I've ever done.'**

**Bella frowned more in protest.**

**Edward laughed. 'Come….HERE', he said, patting the lounge beside him. Bella went to the couch and plonked herself down, twirling one of her pigtails nervously in her fingers.**

**He held the stethoscope up from his neck: 'Heart rate'. He pointed to the BP machine: 'Blood pressure'. He pointed to the thermometer: 'Temperature. And then that's it, OK?'**

**Bella nodded. She eyed the thermometer. It was one of those stupid ear ones. A little (well, the little) part of her was disappointed.**

'**Undo a few of the top buttons on your nightie if you will, please'- Edward had gone into professional mode. There were no petnames, and he looked very serious and business-like.**

**Bella fumbled with a few buttons til they were undone. It seemed to take twice as long as it ever had before.**

**Edward moved closer to her, and held her back with one big warm hand, putting the stethoscope to his ears and slipping it through the 'V-neck' of her nightie and onto her chest.**

'**Big breaths Bella'**

**She took as big a breath as she could. Her heart was out of control, it sounded like a rabbit's or a puppy's. Edward smiled to himself. He was well used to out-of-control heartbeats, and had swiftly learnt the difference between a swooning young lady and an unhealthy one.**

'**That's good. Just turn a little for me, face away….yes that's it. I need to put it on your back now, is it OK if I reach under the nightie?'**

**Bella nodded.**

**Edward tugged at the nightie. 'Lift your bottom for me for a second?'**

**She stood up a little and he tugged it free.**

**Edward's hand went up underneath, placing the stethoscope on her back and asking her again for deep breaths. Her nightie was of course up around her hips, the cool air on her lower back, her little pantied bottom for him to see.**

**He nodded to himself, tugged the nightie back down, and guided her back around to face him.**

'**That's one of the best hearts I've ever heard' he smiled, trying to ease her (and his) nerves.**

**Bella giggled.**

**Edward reached for the BP machine and held out his right hand. 'Arm' he commanded in mock gruffness.**

**Bella held out her left arm. He wrapped it in the Velcro and started pumping.**

'**That's the best blood pressure I've ever seen'.**

**She laughed.**

**He put the cold thermometer tip into her ear and she sat still until it beeped.**

**Edward surveyed the number. 'Annnnd that's the trifector. The most perfect temperature I've ever seen! Goodness me, if ever I've felt like my 7 years of training were wasted, it's right….NOW!'**

**Bella giggled, before jolting a little and holding her tummy, frowning.**

**Edward stopped. 'Are you OK honey?'**

**Bella nodded and took her hands away from her middle, smiling weakly.**

'**Let me check?'**

**She shook her head, folding her arms around herself again.**

'**Bella I'm responsible for you right now, you have to let me…'**

'**NO' – she almost shouted it. Bella was so self-conscious, this was her worst nightmare.**

**Edward ignored the childish protest, got up and knelt beside the couch, gently pressing her at her shoulders to lie down. 'Sweetie you have to let me, come on now.'**

**Bella knew he wasn't going to relent. She lay back but kept her hands at her tummy, like that was a compromise they could reach.**

'**Thaaat's it, honey, great'.**

**She blinked tears, trying so hard to let him do what he needed to do**

**.**

**He gently moved her hands away and she whimpered.**

'**Honey, what is it? I'm just going to have a little feel of this little tummy, and then it's all done. That's all, OK?'**

**She stiffened and whispered to him just to get it over with.**

**Edward looked down at her, his brow furrowed. Whatever was bothering her, it was upsetting her so much. He gently lifted the hem of her nightie up to her ribcage. Oh god. The cotton of her panties showed the outline of the treasure between her legs so perfectly. He couldn't help but notice, and he couldn't wait to hand this file over to her regular GP so he could stop being so …damned….professional.**

**He put his right hand on the centre of her tummy and pressed down ever so gently, watching her face to gauge any reaction. Bella looked straight up at the ceiling, breathing through it, tears rolling down her eyes.**

'**Bella are you in pain?'**

**She shook no.**

**Edward moved to her left side and pressed, rubbing in circles. 'Here?' She shook no again.**

**He felt around a bit more but was as brief as he needed to be, seeing how tortured she seemed to be by the whole process.**

**Edward brought the nightie back down and helped her to sit up.**

'**Maybe it was just a muscle spasm. Let me know if it happens again, OK?**

**Bella nodded, brushing her tears away and trying to quell her blush. Edward watched her, still frowning a little, and patted her thighs as he stood up.**

'**Alright little miss' (his initial resolve not to use petnames was lost with Bella, he just couldn't help it and didn't even realise he was doing it). He looked at his watch. 1pm. After 3pm his job would be done.**

'**Time to try and get a little bit of food and drink into that tummy of yours, and then nap time. I'll be here until about 3, then I can let you be.'**

**Bella tried not to look disappointed. She nodded.**

**Edward continued as he walked into the kitchen 'I'll give your details and notes to your GP – is this his name on the fridge?'**

**Bella nodded. He couldn't see her.**

'**Bella?'**

'**Oh…yes, it is'.**

'**Great. I'll contact Dr MacKenzie, hand everything over and explain it all.'**

**Edward reappeared with some toast and a cup of tea, sitting back down and putting them on the table in front of her.**

'**Have some sweetie'.**

**Bella scrunched up her nose.**

**Edward sighed. Once this file was handed over…ohhhhhhhhhhh if she ONLY knew.**

'**Bella?'**

**She looked at him. He nodded at the food and drink.**

**She picked up the tea and took a sip, before her face scrunched up.**

'**Ewwwwww this is NOT coffee' she protested.**

'**No, it's not coffee' Edward said, watching her, thinking to himself coffee is for big girls who aren't being sent to bed for a nap this afternoon, but saying to Bella 'that's about the worst thing you can have when you need to rest'.**

**She heard the non-compromising tone in his voice, and took another sip. She took some bites of the toast, before starting to yawn.**

**Edward leant back on the couch, crossed his legs, one arm outstretched along the top of the couch behind her.**

'**Does your tummy still feel OK? Don't feel sick?' he queried**

'**It feels OK' she almost whispered.**

'**Great sweetie. Let's get you to bed – or do you prefer the couch?'**

**Bella blushed. She hesitated, not wanting to answer and acknowledge the fact that this was really happening. That this handsome, gentlemanly and Daddy-like doctor was going to put her to bed and stay with her while she slept. It just made her feel so little she wanted to burst into tears.**

**Edward saw the blush, and didn't make her answer. Instead he got up from the couch, went to her room, gathered her quilt up, and returned to the couch with it. He gathered pillows at one end and gently held her under her arms, moving her up so her head was resting on the pillows. Bella curled up on her side, her hand moving towards her mouth before she snapped out of it and quickly put it at her side again.**

**Edward pretended not to notice, to save her more embarrassment, again hardly containing himself and wishing the time away between now and handing this all over to Dr MacKenzie. God, he would be doing things so very differently right now were he not her doctor. He covered her with the quilt, and she took it and tucked it right under her chin.**

'**Thank you' she whispered, one big crocodile tear pouring down her cheek. Edward sat beside her and rested his hand on her head for a moment, not saying anything, his thumb brushing across her forehead a few times.**

'**I'll be here for the next hour and a half. I won't wake you when I leave, OK?'**

**Bella nodded, trying so hard not to cry. But she didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay forever. She felt so safe, and so little.**

**Her tears started flowing and she quickly turned away to face the back of the couch.**

**Edward's heart melted.**

'**Sweetheart what is it?'**

'**I….hiccup …..don't…want…hiccup…..you to leavvvvvvvvvvve' she cried like a very very little girl.**

**He almost shed a tear himself. Oh baby girl. MY baby girl he thought to himself.**

**Edward leaned over and whispered to her 'Sweetie you'll sleep now, and when it's time for me to go, I'll go and find Mack right now, I don't care what I interrupt. Dr Edward's leaving soon, but Edward will be back this evening honey, he'll be back this evening.'**

**Her heart skipped a beat. She turned back over and wrapped her arms around his neck. He tried not to hug her back, but couldn't help it and wrapped his arms around her for a moment.**

**He got up, moved to the couch opposite her, sat down and said 'Sleep'.**

**Bella nodded, and soon closed her eyes.**

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**please review.x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys i am sorry to do this but as of right now i will not be updating any of my stories my daughter is now 4 months and a handful ha ha so i do not have any time to site down and write. i am not giving up completley although if anyone would like to continue any of my stories send me a message and i will definetly think about it.**

**again i am sorry but my daughter has to come first and thank you all for your lovely reviews and messages.x**


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